A Moment of Charity: A #TankaTuesday (on a Wednesday) 9/5/18 #TankaProse

I walked out of the grocers and into the dark. An indigent woman that mumbled incomprehensibly sat just within light of the store. Overcome by an inexplicable urge, I gave the woman a grapefruit. She uttered, “Oh, thank you!” A mysterious joy filled me as her hands clasped my meager gift.

Why should giving away one grapefruit trigger such sudden contentment? Years later, I wonder why I didn’t give her every bag that I had purchased.

I love this. It reminds me of a winter day when I saw two homeless men sitting on the sidewalk. There was a tarp beside them. As I reached across to hand them a bill, a big dog stuck his head out from under the tarp, sniffing what I offered, likely HOPING it was some food. He was so beautiful, with such a hard life. I went back next day with more money to ask them to buy him food, but they had moved on.

Wow, Frank. I really loved this. I loved your philosophical meanderings in your prose. This is such a great message and I often re-examine my thoughts like this too. To put it into poetry is pure genius. Lots of emotion in this piece. ❤

“Why should giving away one grapefruit trigger such sudden contentment? Years later, I wonder why I didn’t give her every bag that I had purchased.” This was such a profound statement it makes you want to cry. I often go over my thoughts like this and wonder. As I grow more seasoned I aspire to wonder less and do more. Thank you for this post. God bless you.